Troughing idler for conveyer belts



Feb. 20, 1923. 1,446,276

C. G. PFEIFFER TROUGHING IDLER FOR CONVEYER BELTS Filed Nov. 25, 1921 INVENTOR Charms Glfiweg BY I 4 3 f j im/mm.

; ture ('01 Patented li eb 29, 11923.

FATENT CHARLEEJ G. PFEIFFER, Of? PIJILLDEL'P -W fr, PENNSZ'Z UVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 SPECIALTY ENGINEERING CUT/{P.(lhl'ff, G3? PHILADELPHIA, PEMTSYL'VANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TBOUGI-IING IDLER FOB CONVEYER BELTS.

Application filed November in lroughing Idlers for Gonveyer where-or the following 1S a specific mg drawings.

lne invention relates to idlers for com yeyer belts ot the type which, in addition to :msiaining the belt during motion, are rurthe" functional inv causing the same to be dis d or (roughed to prevent spilling ot the conveyed material beyond its edges.

lhe invention is primarily directed to an idler structure involving the above ch? teristics, l capable at the 21.1116 time, 0 tomathal maintaining the belt pr centralized Without the aid of supplenn side le idlers such as ordinm'ily employed r the purpose.

The invention further directed to cer- Ii novel details of construction and arugenient whereby assemblage Or the idler is greatly facilitated, due rc rd being, at same time, given to proviz'lc "roiproper lubrication.

The structure by which I attain the ends above pointed out Will be best understood if! the detailed description which teller, a. ring to the drawings, ll .1, a plan i en" or a portion of a conveyor struceniently en'ibodying my invei Fig. ll... is cross sectional (10W the plane indicated by the arrows li e-ll 111 l and Fig. Ill, is an end elevation showing dia- (.5 lll e gran'imatically the manner in which the terminal roller sections of the troughing idler are pitched slightly in advance of the intermediate section.

The conveyor structure herein represented 5 is supported by a frame Work 1, comprising parallel, longitudinally running, angle bar.- 2, 2, Which are united in spaced relation at intervals, by transverse tie bars, such as shown at 8. To the supporting structure are attached at corresponding intervals, idlers by which a moving flexible conveyer belt indicated at 4, is guided and sustained, and at the same time dished or troughed laterally as best seen in Fig. 11. This idler certain new and useful lmprove-- 25, 1921. Serial No. 517,533.

consists of a series or co-operative roller sections, in the present instance three in numher and designated by the numerals 5, 6 and T. It Will be noted mat the axes of the ter minalroller sections 5 and 7, are inclined to the axis of the interntiediate section 6, and also ollset or pitched forward in the direcion of travel of the conveyor belt l. This feature may be readily understood by referring to I, Wllfi the direction of movement of the belt is indicated by the ar- "ow thcreo See also F Ill. The roller N a D sections 0, 6 and l, are mounted tor tree rotation upon an axle member bent in accordance with the desired disposal oi the roller axes. This axle member is supported at its ends by brackets 9, 9, bolted to the sides or the longitudinally running, angle bars 2, 2, of the frame structure 1 and also under the further assistance of supplemental bearing members 10, 10, respectively disposed be tween adjacent ends of the roller sections an d rigidly secured to the transverse bar 3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 11, it Willhe observed that the axle member is constructed of tubular material, and consists of tWo counterpart segments having their abutting ends axially 'alined for the support of the intermediate roller f, such 1 above set forth, it Will be apparent that assemblage of the structure is greatly 'lacilitated. Furthermore, as a consequence, of this arrangement, it will be seen that the axle member 8, is provided With two separate and distinct axial ducts 12, 13, Which are open at the respective ends of the structure, and supp emented With grease cups 14;, 15. The lubricant supplied to the ducts by this means automatically finds its Way under gravitation, to the bushings 16, at the ends of the roller sections, through communicative openings 17, in the Wall of the tube. The bushings 16, are preferably made of a Wear resisting composition which readily absorbs and holds the lubricant so that very little attentionis required except for the grease CUPS.

The idler organization herein disclosed,

not only serves to efilect the desired troughing ol: the belt as shoivn in Fig. II, but also its proper centralization Without necessitating the employment of separate supplen'iental guide idlers ordinarily required for this purpose. The latter desideratum is attained by the lorivard pitchin of the terminal roller sections 5 and T, or' the idler in the directions of travel or the conveyor belt l, so that the relative angle or approach of the edges said belt with respect to "the said roller sections is made comparatively easier to the advantage that upward creeping or the belt on either side'is, absolutely prevented.

Having thus described my claim:

1. A troughing idler lor conveyer belts, comprising a series of rollers having relatively inclined and mutually intersecting axes to support and channel a belt and l12fing the marginal rollers in addition inclined in the direction of travel of the belt.

A troughing idler tor conveyer belts, comprising an axle member termed with an intermediate portion and angularly disposed. end portions, means supporting the intermediate portion ior rotative adjustment, whereby the axle terminals may be canted to any desired angle by rotation of the axle member in its supporting means, and rollers supported upon the several portions of the axle member.

3. A troughing idler, comprising a series of rollers, and a unitary supporting member adapted to support the rollers in relative angular relation to channel a belt, and to permit projection of the end rollers in the direction of belt travel by adjustment of the supporting member.

e. A troughing idler for conveyer belts, comprising a series of rollers, a unitary tubular axle bent to term angularly disposed roller supporting portions the latter being invention, 1

perforate so that lubricant may be introduced into the axle and led to the roller supporting portions, and means to support the intermediate portion of the axle for rotative movement whereby the ends of the axle may be canted to any desired angle.

5. A troughing idler 'lor conveyer belts, comprising a pair ol angular axle members, herring adjacent terminals directed toward each other in alignment, means supporting said terminals for rotative relative adjust ment, a roller supported upon said terminals,

and rollers supported upon the remote ends,

of the axle members, whereby the latter may be canted to any desired angle.

6. A troughing idler for convcyer belts, comprising a pair of perforate tubular angular axle men'ibers having adjacent terminals in alignment, :1 pin entering said terminals to connect them, means suppor ing said terminals for rotative adjustment, a roller mounted upon said terminals tor tree rotation, rollers mounted on the remote terminals ot the axle members, and means tor intrmlucim lubricant into the axle members.

7. A trouggbing idler tor coi'ireyer belts, comprising a support, a pair of bearing l lOClS mounted thereon. a pair of angular axle members having adjacent terminals in alignment and each journalled in one of said bear 5 blocks, a roller mounted upon the terminals between the bearing blocks, a roller mounted on each remote terminal oi? the axle members, and bracket plates carried by the support and upholding the remote terminals ct the axle members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at l hiladelphia, Pennsylvania, this 22nd day of November, 1921.

CHARLES G. PFEIFFER. l x itnesses James H. BELL. E. L. FULLnRron, 

